


It looks good on you.

by Ilerre



Series: Ways to Say I Love You [18]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Crossover, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sibling Love, The Sorting Hat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-09-24
Packaged: 2018-04-23 05:34:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4864982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilerre/pseuds/Ilerre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It looks good on you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It looks good on you.

0

Merle wasn't nervous. Of course he wasn't.

Well, maybe a little bit.

He didn't really know why. He knew that whatever house Daryl was going to be sorted in, it wouldn't matter. And anyway, the kid could fit in every houses.

He knew Daryl was scared of disappointing him. The kid had cried yesterday, just before embarking the Hogwarts Express, still scared of not meeting people's expectation of him.

In truth, Merle couldn't care less what house Daryl was being sorted in. Since the end of the war, people had let go of their old grudges, especially between houses. Slytherin wasn't immediately seen as the house of Dark wizards, and now, the rivalry between houses had become healthy.

All that mattered to the students nowadays was to beat the other houses for the House Cup and to win the Quidditch Cup at the end of the year.

Merle shifted in his seat and felt the Potions Master lean toward him with a smirk. "Nervous?" he asked.

Merle huffed and shrugged. "Maybe. Dare wasn't feeling too well this morning," he answered quietly.

From his place at the High Table surrounded by the other Professors, Merle had a perfect view on the entire Great Wall and would immediately see the first years being led by Minerva in a few minutes.

He heard the man hum next to him and turned his head to look at him. He had been a real lifesaver all those years ago, when to the disbelief of everyone, eleven year old Merle Dixon had entered the Great Hall with a baby in his arms.

It had never been a choice for him. Or at least, not one he was ready to make. He could have stayed home and ignored his Hogwarts letter, but he knew that he had to take his chance. What did he have to lose anyway? Worst case scenario, they would have send him home with his brother and forget all about him.

As it seemed, walking the old stones of Hogwarts with Daryl in his arms had been the best decision of his life.

He had managed to hide him until the sorting, but then, the kid had started crying, and that had been a dead giveaway. He remembered Harry Potter— _THE Harry Potter_ —stand quickly from the High Table, bollowing Defense Against the Dark Arts robe floating around him like a halo, the man walking to him swiftly, kneeling in front of him, and offering his hands with a peaceful smile.

He hadn't even been able to hesitate before he was putting his baby brother into the man's arms…for him to never let go.

He hadn't even been able to blink before he was sorted, eating the best damn meal of his entire life, and finding himself standing into Albus Dumbledore's office and being propositioned for adoption as Harry Potter's son. He couldn't remember anything apart from being told the decision was entirely _his_ , and his alone, and that no matter what he did, Daryl and him would never be separated.

He had only had to watch into the man's green— _green, green, so green and gentle_ —eyes to accept and sign.

He knew he wouldn't be able to provide for Daryl until he was an adult and that was way too far. And he also knew Harry Potter was the richest man in the Wizarding World, and could offer _everything_ to Daryl. And that beat the orphanage any day.

Life with the man was good, really good, in fact. Merle and Daryl had never wanted for _anything_. They had been offered a house, a room each, food on the table every time they wanted, warm clothes, fun, love, safety. _A dad_.

A dad who loved them both with all his heart.

Harry Potter had been as much in need of love—even more, maybe—than Daryl and Merle. And had never, ever, considered them anything but his sons.

Daryl had grown up calling the man 'Daddy' and never knowing a life without love, Merle had grown to just adore this wonderful man. He had built a very strong bond with him, and owed the man everything, even if Harry never wanted to hear him say that.

Then one day, Harry had introduced Severus Snape to them.

Merle knew the man because he was his Potions Professor, but had never thought he could be some love interest for Dad. He had been cautious—scared—of the man entering their life, and because Daryl was always so attuned to him in everything, his baby brother had been reluctant too, to accept a new man in their lives.

Especially a man that had the power to steal their dad away.

Severus Snape was tall, dark and didn't seem to like children at first glance, but strangely enough, his obvious love and adoration for Harry had him really making an effort to endear himself to his two children.

Thus, started the life of the Potter-Snape household.

If before then, just with Harry, Merle had been happy, it was nothing compared to the life they led after Harry and Severus had married.

It was like a damn fairytale, and for once, Merle and Daryl were the heroes.

Life was perfect in every sense, and today, Potions apprentice under his father at Hogwarts, Merle was watching his baby brother make his first steps into the Wizarding World, and something told him Daryl was meant for great things because he was a brilliant and already extremely powerful wizard.

He blinked out of his thought when Father hummed in worry next to him. "Was he feeling unwell?"

Merle huffed sardonically. "Not really. Just anxious about being sorted. He's scared to disappoint."

Severus made a face. "Ah," he sighed sadly.

They all knew Daryl was a very anxious and scared child. While he had been exposed only marginally to the abuse from their father and mother, then the orphanage, they all could speculate that his firsts months living in a terrible household with hating and violent people had somewhat bleached on Daryl and his magic.

Merle didn't know what their mother had done to him when in the womb, but it was terrible to think about it when they all could see the result in Daryl's everyday life.

He was skittish, unsure of himself, restless, always scared to disappoint and terribly terrified to be abandoned.

Some days, Merle couldn't breathe just thinking about what would have happened to his baby brother if he had left him at the orphanage or if they had never been adopted by Harry.

"I'm sure he will do perfectly well in any houses," Father said calmly.

Merle smiled at him. "That's what I told him," he nodded.

Father nodded back. "Harry and myself have been coaching him since he received his admittance letter. Any houses he ends up in, we will all be very proud of him."

Merle nodded once again. He himself had been sorted into Slytherin, there was no surprise here, but he knew Daryl feared that if he wasn't sorted in the snake house or in Gryffindor like Dad, then he would be the odd one of the family, and that would probably break him.  

The doors of the Great Hall suddenly opened, a garnish of tiny eleven year olds walking fearfully toward the front of the table where the Sorting Hat was waiting, and Merle saw Dad grab Father's hand in excitement as Daryl approached, hiding at the back of the pack, disheveled head of hair turned toward the floor.

He looked up warily, tiny hands clasped in his robes, looking at the High Table fearfully in search of his family. Merle saw Dad make great waving movements to announce their positions, and he saw Daryl's shoulders lose some of their tension.

He chuckled slightly when Father put a loving (and always calming) hand on Dad's and waited for the sorting to start. After a moment, Minerva grabbed a long piece of parchment and started calling the children one by one, until only five children remained and she finally called Daryl.

"Potter-Snape, Daryl."

Merle saw his baby brother pale and look up at Father and Dad in fear, but they nodded and smiled, edging him gently with quiet love. They watched him take a deep breath, before hardening his face and walking decidedly to the stool, sitting under the hat and waiting to discover his house.

The hat spoke a few minutes with him, what they said silent for anyone but them, before the it finally screamed: "GRYFFINDOR!" 

Minerva barely had time to take the hat off before Daryl was bouncing off the stool and running toward them in pure joy. "Daddy!" he said, rushing to Harry and climbing on him, small hands clasping his neck, "Daddy! I'm a Gryffindor just like you!"

Ignoring the remaining children being sorted, Harry just hugged his son with all his might. "Oh, I knew it! My beautiful, brave little lion," he chuckled, kissing him everywhere on his face. "Your father is also very, very proud!"

Father was standing next to the kneeling duo and smiled at them. "Immensely," he nodded. He lifted an eyebrow and Harry stood, blushing slightly at his overjoyed reaction in front of the entire Great Hall.

They had time to celebrate tonight in their private quarters after the end of the meal, but Daryl still hugged Father tightly around the waist, and Merle didn't miss Father's very pleased smile. "Very well done, my darling," he said after kissing Daryl on the forehead.

Daryl beamed and turned to Merle hugging him too. Merle closed his eyes, feeling his emotions try to get the best of him, and shook his head to look at Daryl with all the love and admiration he could transmit. "Well done, baby," he praised. He looked at the red and gold tie and the lion crest on his robes, and took his small face in his hands. "It looks good on you."   

0

**Author's Note:**

> This work is unbetaed. Please feel free to point any typos you saw or missing words, or any sentences that just don't make any sense :)
> 
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